SOUPer Bowl of Caring

SOUPer Bowl of Caring

Nearly 30% of four-year and 40% of two-year college students are food insecure, and 48% of all college students are affected by housing insecurity according to a 2020 survey from Temple University.

Food recovery partners like Last Mile Food Rescue, La Soupe, and the Society of St. Andrew have been partnering with The Bearcats Pantry (BCP) & Resource Center at the University of Cincinnati to make sure wholesome, nutritious food is getting to local students!

The BCP provides free food, hygiene items, cleaning supplies, professional clothing, baby items, meal vouchers, and other direct aid to students of all backgrounds with food and other insecurities.

According to Joy Kostansek, Program Coordinator for the BCP, “our goal at the BCP is to supply students with the various resources they need to focus holistically on their academics, achieve their goals, and to successfully reach graduation. Every student’s experience is different and the BCP is here to provide support.”

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Joy continues, “Many students who use the BCP are international students. These students do not receive any state or federal financial aid from the government, so they are completely self-funded. Although some students come with funding for their education, family and economic situations can change.”

You can help the BCP too! This week the Hamilton County Environmental Services staff hosted a SOUPer Bowl of Caring event. O Gregerson-Clem, Jessie Nelson and Kelsey Pearman led the organization’s effort. “The Wellness Committee recruited volunteer chefs to make soup and asked employees to bring in donations for the BCP. Ten chefs brought a wide variety of dishes meeting the various dietary needs of the community. Our agency was able to donate over 65lbs of food, a large bag of hygiene supplies, and $130 to Bearcats Pantry at UC!”

To learn more or donate to the BCP visit: https://www.uc.edu/campus-life/dean-of-students/bearcats-pantry.html

Tortilla Soup (GF/Vegan):

Ingredients:

• 4 cups vegetable stock (learn to make your own here)

• 1 cup dry red beans

• 1 cup lentils (we used ¾ cup green and ¼ cup red)

• 1 can roasted tomatoes

• 3 jalapeno peppers

• 1 small red onion

• 3 cloves garlic

• Juice from 1 lime

• 2 tsp salt (more to taste).

Directions:

1. In a crock pot add 4 cups vegetable stock, 4 cups water, and 1 cup beans. Cook on low overnight.

2. Add 1 cup lentils, 1 can roasted tomatoes.

3. Set oven to 450°F.

4. Cut and remove seeds from jalapeño, chop onions, dice garlic and place on a pan in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

5. Once roasted blend in a food processor or blender and add to cooking stock.

6. Add lime and salt, cook for 6 hours.

7. Top with leftover tortilla chips or fried tortilla strips and serve.